Metal doorframe



0 RM w A m0 m N0 R 9 E 0 @w VG Mu me A s N H DEfi RMQ mm DR Ow G w .Lcud .EE A i F Sept, 28 1926.

' so materially to Patented Sept. 28, 1926.

UNITED STA 1? P ECE.

METAL DOOBAME.

Application filed January This invention relates to sheet metal framesfor doors, windows, and the like, and articularly to the manner ofconnecting the frame members at their corners. Heretofore difiiculty hasbeen experienced in shipping the frames in knocked down condition forthe reason that no satisfactory method of connecting the frame membersat their corners has been devised. Oonseuently, the practice has been toship the rames assembled, with the result that the space occupied by theassembled frames adds the cost of shipment, as to prevent themanufacturer from successfully competing with others at any very greatdistances from the factory.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved frame constructionwhich may be ship ed in knocked down condition and assemb ed at the jobin a simple manner; with which the only assembly tools required would bea hammer; which, when assembled, will be exceptionally rigid, have atight joint or connection between the members, and be strong anddurable; which will not loosen during use; and which will be relativelyinexpensive.

Various other objects and advantages will appear as the accompanyingdescription of an embodiment of t e invention proceeds, and the novelfeatures will be particularly ointed out in connection with the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings c Fig, 1 is a perspective of one corner ofa frame construction, with the members connected together in accordancewith this invention;

Fig. 2 is and Fig. 3 is a sectional plan through a portion of theconnecting plates to illustrate certain details.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the two frame members 1and 2, which abut at-their ends to form a corner, are channel shaped andformed of sheet metal, and have door or window stops formed in thebottom walls of the channels.

a sectional elevation of the same;

These stops 3 overrun one another at the g corners as shown in Fig. 2,so that there will be a direct overlapping joint between them as commonin door and window frame constructions. The remainder of the abuttingends of the frame members are mitred to fit 1a, 1925. Serial No. 2,271.

one another, and diificulty arises in connecting such mitred ends.

In each end of a frame member an an lar plate 4 is secured to the framemember n a suitable manner such as by spot welding at a plurality ofoints indicated at 5. The edge section 6 of the plate, which is adjacentthe mitred end, is bent into a plane approximately parallel with and inclose proximity to the that the angular plate sections 6 of the twoabutting ends of the frame members will be 1n proximity to one anotherand approximately parallel to one another.

The sections 6 of the plates are provided at their ends with wings 7which are bent to extend along the inner faces of the side walls of thechannels and fitting against the same, the wings being connected to theside walls by suitable means such as spot welding 8. The wings,therefore, prevent fiexure of each plate section 6 about its line ofconnection to the base section which is secured to the bottom wall ofthe channel of the member.

The free side edge portions of the side walls of each member are bent,as at 9, to give the impression of molding, and the extreme edgesthereof are bent inwardly to form flanges 10 for constructional reasons.These flanges 10 extend across the wings 7, and the latter arepreferably provided with ton es 11, which project through apertures 12in the flanges to provide an additional interlock between the win andthe walls of the members and to aid in positioning the members withrespect to one another.

plane of the mitred end, so

The plate section 6 of at least one of each I abutting pair at a cornerbetween the members, is provided with one or more tongues which passthrough an aperture in the other plate of the pair for interlockingtogether the abutting plates and, therefore, the abutting ends of themembers, Preferably, each plate is provided with a plurality of tongues14, which are struck out from the interior thereof, and lso withapertures 15 through which the tongues of the opposite plate of the pairmay extend for interlocking toether the two plates of that pair.

Each tongue, in the portion projecting through the other plate of thepair, is provided with anaperture l6throu' h which a wedge or drift pin'1] fmay as passed. Thus, when the wedge l7 is driven through theaperture 16, it will act against the late through which that tonguepasses and raw that tongue further through the aperture 15 and thus drawthe plates of each pa 1r tightly together and rigidly hold them in thatrelation. The tongues struck from each plate are preferably spaced aparttransversely of the member and staggered with respect to one another andwith respect to the tongues struck from the opposlte plate of the pair,so that eachtongue will not be hidden or concealed behind another tongueprojecting through the same plate. Each tongue will thus be readilyaccessible from the outer edge of the plate sections 6, so that thewedges may be driven in from the outer or corner edge withoutinterference from other tongues projecting through the same plate. Byhaving the tongues spaced apart or staggered as indicated, the platesmay be drawn together tightly across the entire body of each platesection 6.

It will be observed that with this construction, the frame members maybe shipped unconnected to one another, so that they may be packed verycompactly, and when they are to be used they may be readily assembled bymerely placing them in the proper abutting relation with the tongues ofeach plate section passing through those of the abutting plate section,inserting the wedges 17 and driving them through the tongues by ahammer. Thus the abuttin ends of the members are tightly, firm y andrigidly drawn together. This assembly operation takes but a few momentsof time, and the resulting frame construction is exceptionally rigid,strong and durable.

As the material for the wedges, I have found that the ordinary cut orwrought iron nails answer very satisfactorily, but obviously anymaterial for the wedges or any type of wedge or its equivalent may beutilized to draw the two plates of each pair together. Of course, boltsmay be passed between the plates of each pair of abutting members andanswer quite satisfactorily, but I have found that by the use of thetongues and wedges, the assembly operation is greatly expedited, and anequally strong and satisfactory connection obtained.

It will be obvious that various changes in the details and materials,which have been herein specified in order to explain the nature of theinvention, may be made by those skilled in the art, without departingfrom the spirit and principle of the invention as set forth in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A metal frame for doors of channel shaped sections, each sectionbeing mitred to fit another at its abutting end, a connectmgconstruction fastened to the bottom and sides of the channel sections ateach mitred end of the same with the sides of the channel connected by aplate in the plane of the mitred ends whereby the frames form a finishedjoint, integral perforated lugs struck from each plate and passingthrough matching holes in the opposing plate and a fastening drift pindriven in each perforation and bearing on the opposite plate to retainthe channel members in contact, whereby a firm finished joint isobtained.

2. In a sheet metal frame for doors, windows and the like, thecombination of channel shaped sheet metal frame members having portionsof their angularly abutting ends mitred to fit one another, a plateanchored to each end of a frame member which abuts another member andhaving a portion bent into the plane of the mitred end, so that the bentportions of the plates of abutting ends of the members will abut face toface, at least one of each pair of abutting plate portions having struckout connecting tongues, passing through apertures in the abutting plateportion, for securing the members rigidly together at their abuttingends.

3. In a sheet metal frame for doors, windows, and the like, thecombination of channel shaped sheet metal frame members having portionsof their angularly abutting ends mitred to fit one another, a plateanchored to each end of a frame member which abuts another member andhaving a portion bent into approximately the plane of the mitred end, sothat the bent portions of the plates of abutting ends of the members wil abut face to face, at least one of each pair of abutting plateportions havin" struck out locking tongues passing throug apertures inthe abutting plate portion, and locking means for anchoring each tonguein the aperture through which it passes.

4. In a sheet metal frame for doors, windows, and the like, thecombination of channel shaped sheet metal frame members having portionsof their angularly abutting ends mitred to fit one another, a plateanchored to each end of a frame member wl ich abuts another member andhaving a portion bent into the plane of the mitred end, so that the bentportions of the plates of abutting ends of the members will abut face toface, at least one of each pair of abutting plate portions having struckout looking tongues passing through apertures in the abutting plateportion, and wedges acting between the tongues and plate portionsthrough which the tongues pass for locking the tongues against removaland the members against separation at their abutting ends.

5. In a sheet metal frame for doors, windows, and the like, thecombination of sheet metal frame members fitted against one another attheir angularly abutting ends with a metal facing member in the plane ofthe ends at least one of each pair of said facingxmem'bers having u onthe face abutting t e other facing mem er a tongue passing through an aerture in said other facing member, and Ice ing means engaging withthetongue to prevent its removal from the aperture through which itpasses.

6. In a sheet metal frame for doors, windows, and the like, thecombination of sheet metal frame members fitted against one another attheir angularly abutting ends with a metal wall lying in the plane ofthe ends at least one of each pair of abutting ends having upon the faceabutting the other member a tongue passing through an apexture in theother, and a wedge acting be tween the tongue and wall through which itpasses for locking the abutting members tig tly together.

7. In a sheet metal frame for doors, windows, and the like, thecombination of channel shaped sheet metal frame members having portionsof their angularly abutting ends mitred to fit one another, a plateanchored to each end of a frame member which abuts another member andhaving a portion extending across substantially the greater portion ofand approximately in the plane of the mitred end, whereby the plates ofabutting members at each corner will be face to face, and approximatelyparallel to one another, and means interlocking the abutting portions ofeach pair of abutting plates.

8. In a sheet metal frame for doors, windows, and the like, thecombination of channel shaped sheet metal frame members having portionsof their angularly abutting ends mitred to fit one another, a plateanchored to each end of a frame member which abuts another member andhaving a portion extending across substantially the greater portion ofand in the plane of the mitred end, whereby the lates of abuttingmembers at each corner Wlll be face to face, and approximately parallelto one another, and a tongue struck out from at least one of each pairof abuttin plates and passing through the abutting plate forinterlocking the plates together and therebyv holding gether theabutting members.

9. In a sheet metal frame for doors, windows, and the like, thecombination of channel shaped sheet metal frame members having portionsof their angularly abutting ends mitred to fit one another, a plateanchored to each end of a frame member which abuts another member andhaving a portion extending across substantially the great-er portion ofand in the plane of the mitred end, whereby the plates of abuttingmembers at each corner will. be face to face,

and approximately parallel to one another,

a tongue struck out from at least one of each pair of abutting platesand passing through the other abutting plate of that pair forinterlocking together said plates, and a wedge acting between eachtongue and the plate through which it passes for drawing the plates, andthereby the abutting ends of the membels, tightly together.

-10. In a sheet metal frame for doors, windows, and the like, thecombination of channel shaped sheet metal frame members having portionsof their angularly abutting ends mitred to fit one another, a plateanchored to each end of a frame member which abuts another member andhaving a portion extending across substantially the greater portion ofand in the plane of the mitred end, whereby the plates of abuttingmembers at each corner will be face to face, and approximately parallelto one another, a plurality of tongues struck out from at least one ofeach pair of abutting plates and passing through the other abuttingplate of that pair for interlocking together said plates of each pair,the tongues struck from each plate being spaced apart from one anotherlaterally of the members so that no tongue projecting through any platewill obstruct free access to the others projecting through the sameplate, and wedges acting between the projecting ends of the tongues andthe plates through which they project for drawing the abutting platestightly together.

11. In a sheet metal frame for doors, windows, and the like, thecombination of channel shaped sheet metal frame members having portionsof their angularly abutting ends mitred to fit one another, a plateanchored to each end of a frame member which abuts another member andhaving a portion extending across substantially the greater portion ofand in the plane of the mitred end, whereby the plates of abuttingmembers at each corner will be face to face, and approximately parallelto one another, a plurality of tongues struck out from at least one ofeach pair of abutting plates and passing through the other abuttingplate of that pair for interlocking together said plates of each pair,the tongues struck from each plate being spaced apart from one anotherlaterally of the members so that no tongue projecting through any plate'will obstruct free access to the others projecting through the sameplate, and wedges acting between the projecting ends of the tongues andthe plates through which they project for drawing the abutting'platestightly together, said wedges being insertable into locking engagementwith the tongues in a direction from the ends of the abutting members.

12. In a sheet metal frame for doors, win- I dows, and the like, thecombination of channel shaped sheet metal frame members havll each platebeing spaced re tively to one another,

ing portions of their angularly abutting ends mitred to fit one another,a plate anchored to each channel side of a frame member which abutsanother member and having 5 a portion extending across substantially thegreater portion of and in the plane of the mitred end, whereby theplates or abutting members at each corner Wlll be face to face, andapproximately parallel to one another,

10 a plurality of tongues struck out from at least one of each pair ofabuttin plates and passing through the other abutting plate of that pairfor interlocking together said plates of each pair, the tongues struckfrom apart from one another laterally of the members so that no tonguerojecting through any plate will obstruct ee access to the othersprojecting through the same late, the tongues projectin oppositedlrections being staggered and wedges acting ecting ends of the tonguesrough which they project abutting plates tightly between the pro and theplates t for drawing the v 35 together.

13. In a sheet metal frame for doors, windows, and the like, thecombination of channel shaped sheet metal frame members having portionsof their angularly abutting ends 30 mitred to fit one another, a lateanchored at its ends to the opposite si e walls of the mitred end ofeach member so as to extend across the mitred end, whereby the crossparts of plates of abutting members will be parallel and in proximity toone another, and

means for interlocking together the plates of abutting ends of saidmembers.

14. In a sheet metal frame for doors, windows, and the like, thecombination of channel shaped sheet metal frame members having portionsof their angularly abutting ends mitred to fit one another, a plateanchored atits ends to the o posite side walls of the mitred end ofeacli member so as to extend across the mitred end, whereby the crossparts of plates of abutting members will be parallel and in proximity toone another, a tongue struck from at least one of each pair of plates atabutting ends of said members and passing through an aperture in theother plate of the pair for interlocking together the plates, andthereby the abutting ends of the members.

15. In a sheet metal frame for doors, windows, and the like, thecombination of channel shaped sheet metal frame members, having portionsof their angularly abutting ends mitred to fit one another, a lateanchored at its ends to the opposite si e walls of the mitred endportion of each member so as to extend-across the mitred end, wherebythe cross parts of the plates of abutting members will be approximatelyparallel and in proximity to one another, a tongue struck rom at leastone of each pair of plates at bers, and a wedge acting between thetongue and the plate through which it passes for drawing the air ofplates toward one another and thereby drawing the mitred ends of themembers ti htly together.

16. In a sheet metal Frame for doors, windows, and the like, thecombination of channel shaped sheet metal framemembers havin portions oftheir ,angularly abutting en ds mitred to fit one another, a plateanchored at its ends to the opposite walls of the mitred end of eachmember some to extend across the mitred end, whereby the cross parts ofplates of abutting members will be approximately parallel and inproximity to one another, a plurality of tongues struck from at leastone of each pair of plates at the abutting ends of said members andpassing throu h a rtures in the other plate of the air or interlockingtogether the plates an thereby the abutting ends of the members, saidtongues bein spaced apart laterally or transversely of 5m channel sothat each tongue will be readil aooessible from the outer corner of thea tti members, and means acting between eac tongue and the plate throughwhich it passes for drawing said plates toward one another and holdinthem in that relation.

17 In a s eet metal frame for doors, windows, and the like, thecombination of channel shaped sheet metal frame members, having portionsof their angularly abutting ends mitred to fit one another, a plateanchored at its ends to the opposite side walls of the mitred end ofeach member so as to extend across the mitred end, whereby the crossparts of plates of abutting members will be approximately parallel andin proximity to one another, a plurality of tongues struck from bothplates at the abutting ends of said members and passing throughapertures in the opposite late of the pair for interlocking together t eplates, the tongues being spaced apart transversely of the channel andthose projecting through each plate being staggered with res t to oneanother and oppositely staggered f rom the ton es projecting through theopposite plate 0 the pair, so that the projecting end of each tonguewill be readily accessible and not disposed directly behind anothertongue, and means acting between each tongue and the plate throu h whichit sses for drawi the tonguest ugh the p ates through whic they pass soas to tighten the abuttlng ends hold them in that connel shaped sheetmetal frame members having portions of their angular abutting endsmitred to fit one another, a plate anchored to the end of each framemember which abuts angularly with another member, said plate beingsecured at one edge section to the bottom wall of the channel adj ac'entthe mitred end and having its opposite edge section extending inproximity to and substantially parallel to the mitred end of the memberto which it is attached, the angular portion that extends parallel tothe mitred end having lateral wings which extend along the sides of theframe member and which are secured thereto, and means passing betweenthe portions of the plates which are parallel to the mitred ends at eachcorner for uniting the two members through such plates.

19. In a sheet metal frame for doors, windows, and the like, thecombination of channel shaped sheet metal frame members having portionsof their angularly abutting ends mitred to fit one another, a plateanchored to the end of each frame member which abuts angularly withanother member, said plate being secured at one edge section to thebottom wall of the channel adjacent the mitred end, and having itsopposite edge section extending in proximity to and substantiallyparallel to the mitred end of the member to which it is attached, theangular section that extends parallel to the mitred end having lateralwings which extend along the sides of the frame member and which aresecured thereto, each channel shaped frame member having flanges at theedges of the channel which extend toward one another, and said wingshaving portions mechanically interlocking with said flanges, and meanspassing between the plates at each corner for uniting them and therebysaid members.

20. A sheet metal frame for doors comprising elements of channel shapedcross section, abutting one another in mitred joints, having inturnedflanges at the channel edges, said flanges bein provided near eachabutting end with perfbrations, fastening plates for each section lyingin the plane of the abutting mitred corners, said plates havingint-urned flanges fastened to the channel sides, said flanges havingprojecting tongues to fit and engage the perforations in the channelflanges.

- Inwitness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my signature.

ALVIN C. GODDARD.

